


The house that will watch him grow

by Small_bump



Series: With every season we grow [2]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Important Conversations, M/M, Panic Attacks, Part 2, Pillow Talk, Robert and Elliot move into the mill, Robert really doesn't want to screw up his family, your going to have to read the first part to really understand what's happening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 04:53:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11913624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_bump/pseuds/Small_bump
Summary: Things are still new, living together, it's different than the last time, they're different. It's a better different, things felt solid, they feel solid, it doesn't feel like at any moment the ground was going to cave underneath them. It felt good, even though perhaps Robert felt a little overwhelmed.(Part 2, in the single!dad Robert verse | Robert and Elliot move into The Mill.)





	The house that will watch him grow

**Author's Note:**

> For Heidi, who wanted more from this verse :)

 

 

(Post Epilogue)

A scene from spring

Things are still  _new,_ living together, it's different than the last time, they're different. It's a better different, things feel solid, they feel solid, it doesn't feel like at any moment the ground was going to cave underneath them. It felt  _good,_ even though perhaps Robert felt a little overwhelmed. Robert's laying flat on Aaron's—their bed, starting up at the ceiling. It had felt weird, standing outside Jacob's fold, knowing it was  _empty,_ sans the furniture he'd found there.

Everything Elliot and him owned was packed in boxes, in the back of the scrap yard's van. It had been an important investment, the first one Aaron had made since Adam's departure. Adam had kept his share in the company but had signed all rights over the business to Aaron, so now, Aaron sends him a check every month, Robert knows he misses him. They do  _talk,_ a lot, but it's not the same thing, Germany's an ocean away, and even with cheap flights life keeps them too busy, they just don't have the time. 

Now the box's sit in the front entrance, that's a job for tomorrow. Tonight had been about settling Elliot in. They'd slept over at the mill numerous times, but Elliot still hadn't felt completely at home in the house. That will come with  _time,_ he just needed to get used to his new surroundings, his new  _home._ So they had dinner, the four, or well five of them, Elliot's high chair pushed up against the table, so he could sit with them. Liv texting underneath the table, and pretending to be listening to a word Aaron was sprouting out. Rocky sitting on the floor beside Aaron, nudging his leg, hoping for leftovers. It may not have looked perfect, but to  _him,_ it was everything he'd ever wanted, and never dared to dream he could have. A proper family.

They were a  _proper little family._ Finally. 

Afterwards, they'd watched a bit of telly, mostly Liv flicking through the channels until she found something she actually liked. Robert didn't mind, he was more than content to sit on the couch, Aaron flanked at his side, Elliot nested in his lap. His  _talking,_ well babbling really, he can say dada, and toast and a hand full of other words Robert's managed to pull out of him, but that was it. Robert's become one of those parents who slowly annunciates all of his words when he's around Elliot, 'do you want some toast? Can you say t-o-a-s-t?' His pretty sure it drives Liv mad, but that was just an added bonus. 

The guest room, come junk room as Robert had found out, with the help of Vic was turned into a nursery. Elliot's room in Jacob's fold has been small, there was nothing Robert could have done, he doubted Eric would have let him knock down a wall. So while Robert tried his best, it didn't have the space his new nursery does. It had become Elliot's room over time, Aaron and him, had gone out one morning and bought a crib. Robert remembers being at the till, thinking about that  _crib,_ it had detachable handles, that could turn the crib into a  _bed_ for toddlers. 

_'For when Elliot's older.'_

He remembers how his heart had stopped, and how for a moment it was hard to breathe. Because Aaron was thinking about their future,  _their's,_ together. It had been the first time it had hit Robert, their for  _keeps._ He gets to keep Aaron, his not going anywhere, it was too good to be true, too good for what Robert deserved, but he'll take it, he'll take Aaron every time till it's no longer an option until it's over. 

So Robert had given Elliot his bath, Liv still downstairs, Aaron standing at the doorway watching, side resting against the frame. Dressed him into his pyjama's and tucked him into bed, kissing him on the forehead. He watched, as Aaron stepped forward, to do the same. Elliot's got his toy frog next to him, just like  _always._ But now he has a purple caterpillar at his feet, a Christmas present for Chas. Robert's saved the card, doesn't think he'll ever get tired of looking down at the cardboard and seeing in Chas's neat handwriting _'from Grandma.'_

Elliot's got  _two_ grandma's now, he's got tons and tons of family, who'll fight for him no matter what and it's everything. Everything Robert didn't have for the longest time, everything he'd long for since his mother's death, and his son has it. It brings a sort of peace to him because he knows that no matter what happens to him, Elliot will be loved and protected, and that's priceless.   

"Rocky's out for the night, so that's done," Aaron says, walking into the room. He toe's out of his trainers, and heads for the bathroom, clicking the door shut behind him. 

Being here, knowing he lives here  _now,_ isn't just weird for Elliot, it's weird for Robert too. The thought, makes his heart begin to quicken, till his forced to sit up on the bed, crossing his legs. It almost feels like blood is rushing to his head, his not  _sure,_ but he can hear his heart beating through his ears. 

This isn't like last time,  _their_ _for_ _keeps._ And it terrifies him. The Mill has always been important, it's their home, them as a proper family together and what happens if no matter what they do it isn't enough? What happens if he gives it his all and he isn't  _enough._ Elliot's going to loose it, loose everything and it's going to be his fault. 

He clutches his chest, pressing hard against the bone. Breathing laboured, he just needs to breathe, but all of a sudden that feels like the most difficult task he's ever been given. He  _can't._

"Rob?" Aaron asks, dashing over to his side of his bed. He's got his wet hands on Robert's back, and it makes him shiver unconsciously.  

"I can't breathe,  _fuck,_ I can't Aaron."

"It's okay," Aaron says soothingly, he crawls onto the bed, sitting right in front of Robert, placing his hand just above his own, where it's still clutching his chest. "Deep breaths, in and out, just like that good."

Robert follows, taking deep breaths along with Aaron who is mimicking the movements for Robert.

In and out,  _in and out._

He swallows hard, his heartbeat, beginning to steady. They stay like that, for a while, Robert's shaky breath, the only sound that could be heard in the room. 

"Are you alright?"

 _No,_ "I—I don't know."

Aaron drags their hands down, till they both fall into their laps, and Robert can feel Aaron's thumb making gentle circles on the skin just above his wrist. "What happened Robert?"

"I love you," he chokes out, taking in a shaky breath, "and I'm happy, the happiest I've been since mum died and—I know  _we've put the past behind us,_ we're better now but being here, in  _our_ house. I don't want to lose it all again."

"Oh Rob," Aaron sighs, pulling him forward. Their hugging, and Robert's got his head buried into the crook of Aaron's shoulder and his  _crying._ His happy, and he doesn't want to go back to the way it was before. He doesn't want to go back to just coping and hoping everything will be okay—but feeling like it won't.

"You're not going to lose me, or any of this I promise."

"What happens if I mess up again?"

"Then we'll deal with it because I'm all in. I'm never going to let anyone come between us  _again_."

Robert nods, sniffling "I'm sorry, this is our first night together, and I've made it all sad."

Aaron shakes his head, smiling slightly "there's nothing to be sorry for Rob, I'm glad we talked about this. This is how we make it last forever, by taking to each other." His eyes wandered to the clock on the nightstand, before Aaron says, "let me get changed, and then let's get some sleep yeah?"

So Robert, who's already changed, crawls underneath the covers and waits. Hear's Aaron brush his teeth, watches his change into his nightshirt, taking off his trousers, leaving him in his boxer's. Watches him climb into the bed, _their_ bed, and Robert can feel his heat beside him, pushes his hand underneath the cover's to find Aaron's. 

"I love you, you know," Aaron says, and Robert does know, can  _hear_ it in his voice, in the way he smiles back at Robert, and makes his entire axis shift on its head. 

"I know."

Robert ends up the little spoon, usually, he'd mind. He likes to be strong, likes to hold Aaron in his arms, and have Aaron know he's safe, he loves that he can do that for him. But tonight it's Robert's turn, to feel Aaron's arms around him, the gentle pressure, Aaron's way of saying  _'I'm here, I'm not going anywhere'._ It grounds him, lets him know everything's going to be okay because Aaron does that to him. The sky could be falling, but Aaron has the ability to ease his panic, to make him feel safe, in a way he's never felt before and it's nice, to let himself be protected, to know if he falls, someone will catch him. 

He knows, that in time these feelings will dull, and hopefully one-day disappear. But for now, he lets Aaron's embrace lull him to sleep. Content with the fact that Elliot's blissfully asleep, in his new room right now, in the house that will watch him grow, and thrive, as he becomes his own person.  _His home._  That's enough, it'll always be enough. 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me @victoriasugden on tumblr


End file.
